The people who bring the arts to Denver are bringing home less bank for doing so.

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts and the Colorado Ballet are both cutting staff expenses to compensate for drops in contributions from corporations, foundations and individuals.

Administrators, rather than audiences, will bear the brunt of the arts’ current economic woes. So far, neither group has dramatically reduced its main public offerings, though the DCPA’s resident theater company will perform one fewer play next season.

The DCPA cut wages by up to 3 percent for its 123 full-time, non-union employees. The pay reductions were lessened because the two men at the top agreed to 10 percent cuts each.

The cuts will save about $150,000 — $46,500 of it from the salaries of president Randy Weeks and Denver Center Theatre Company artistic director Kent Thompson.

“I felt it was the right thing to do,” Weeks said. “Lead by example.”

The Colorado Ballet instituted both layoffs and furloughs Thursday. To pare about $100,000, administrative and production staff will take unpaid furloughs of up to four weeks. The company will shed one part-time and one full-time worker.

“What we’re trying to do is project out to the end of the (fiscal year), and we have a chunk of work to do,” said executive director Jack Lemmon. “We’re trying to be proactive on this, so we don’t stumble too badly.”

The DCPA oversees both the Denver Center Theatre Company and Denver Center Attractions, which hosts national touring productions.

Pre-salary cuts, Weeks was making $250,000 to lead the center and Thompson $215,000 to helm the theater company. Just seven years ago, Thompson’s predecessor was making $339,767.

The DCPA, with an average annual budget of about $50 million a year, has now trimmed $1 million from its current fiscal year and another $2.8 million from the year that starts July 1.

“We really want to not deal with layoffs,” Weeks said. “We are nothing without all of our people.”

That sentiment was echoed at the Colorado Ballet.

“A ballet company is nothing but people, and so as you try to reduce budget, particularly After productions are done for the year, you’re dealing with people,” Lemmon said.